Profile wrapping involves joining laminate cover materials to substrates such as particle board, lumber core, fiberboard, or other materials, to provide a decorative or aesthetically pleasing appearance to furniture or other structures. Exemplary laminate cover materials include films of vinyl, paper, foil, or other materials; thin veneers of wood; or other laminate materials. The laminate cover material may be provided in roll form and applied to a substrate in a substantially continuous process until the entire roll is depleted. In other applications, raw veneer may be provided in discrete length strips. In either form, adhesive must be applied to the laminate, the substrate, or both, so that the laminate can be securely joined to the substrate.
One conventional method of applying adhesive to laminates in either roll or strip form involves the use of an applicator wheel and a well, or pot, of adhesive. A portion of the applicator wheel extends into the pot such that the outer circumference of the wheel becomes covered with adhesive as the applicator wheel rotates through the pot. The laminate cover material is passed over the rotating wheel such that adhesive carried on the outer circumference of the wheel is transferred to the laminate prior to joining the laminate to the substrate.
Other manufacturing methods have utilized slot nozzles in continuous profile wrapping applications to apply a controlled coating of adhesive to laminate cover materials dispensed from a roll. The laminate is unwound from the roll and pulled over the slot nozzle where a coating of adhesive is dispensed to the laminate prior to the laminate being directed to contact a substrate moving beneath the applicator.